CLOUD ENVY - S. Nara

When the Levee Breaks

Amaya's chest heaved as the only sound she could make out was that of her own breathing.

Taking in the silence of the dark tunnel she shuffled over to the wall and leaned against it... all before hurling in the garbage can next to her.

"Fuck me..." she breathed before spitting the remains of the sour liquid in her mouth into the trash can. She eventually stood up straight and attempted to walk down the hall all before falling on her back.

"Holy shit," she whispered to herself closing her tired eyes. She laid with her arms splayed out next to her.

"Sounds like you had fun." She heard a sarcastic voice chirp from behind her. She scoffed. "Wow, the famous copy ninja gracing me with his presence, it's only been a month." she remarks flopping on her stomach before shakily forcing herself up. As she got to her feet her legs shook but she ignored it, she then met her Sensei's bored eyes.

"Not saying you pick favorites but... you pick favorites,"

"Would you shut it loser," Sasuke huffed.

She looked at him with a weak smile.

"Someone needs a haircut," she chided limping by him and jabbing him in the side teasingly. He shoved her in irritation but as she fell flat on her ass he was overwhelmed with guilt.

"Meant to do that," she sang standing again with the help of Sasuke. He mumbled an apology and she chuckled.

"Nicely done Amaya," Kakashi began as he placed hand on her shoulder. Though despite his praise, his eyes hardened as he continued. 

"But..."

She furrowed her brows.

"She knew you." Amaya gave him an exhausted look. 

They stared at one another for a moment before she spoke. 

"I'm beginning to think my time here... is running out."

Kakashi shook his head. "It won't come to that." 

"You realize the damage I could do if they send people after me. To this village... to you." She urged.  Kakashi sighed rubbing the back of his neck and stepping past her. "All that talk about not needing a teacher, yet you still don't get something so simple..." His voice trailed off in faux irritation as he walked towards the bright entrance to the arena. 

What the hell does that mean?  She thought.

furrowing her brows she watched him go, Sasuke followed him silently wondering what they had been talking about. "Sasuke," She called. The boy stopped and turned back towards her, his hands shoved in his pockets. 

"That kid you're fighting... He's a punk. Don't lose." 

With that she swiftly turned on her heel and limped on down the tunnel. Sasuke watched her go with a peculiar feeling- like her words meant something entirely different then what they presented as.  Regardless, he had bigger things to worry about now. 

-----

Naruto and Shikamaru sat stunned on the stairwell in stark shock at what they had witnessed.

They watched as the red headed figure faded from their view.

"If we had walked up those stairs even a second earlier," Shikamaru breathed.

They had been on their way to find Amaya, but as they witnessed two foreign ninja get murdered their plans were halted. Both their heads shot up as they heard another pair of footsteps approaching from around the corner. They were slow just like the former, so they braced.